Derivative of Field-Operator and Vector-Potential

  • Context: Graduate 
  • Thread starter Thread starter Abigale
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Derivative
Join the discussion
Ask a follow-up here, or get your own question answered by working scientists, mathematicians and engineers — people, not an autocomplete.
Real named experts · corrections over time · the nuance an AI answer skips
2 replies · 2K views
Abigale
Messages
53
Reaction score
0
Hello,

I regard field-operators, whereby [itex]\Psi[/itex] is a fermionic-annihilation-operator and

[itex]\vec{A(\vec{r})}[/itex] is an electromagnetic-vector-potential.

Is it possible to do the following step?


$$
\nabla \vec{A} \Psi =\Psi \nabla \vec{A} + \vec{A}\nabla\Psi
$$

And if its correct, why?

Thx
Abby
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Ok I think I got a Solution.
If I consider Coulomb Gauge

$$
\nabla \vec{A}=0
$$
and I can write
$$
\nabla \vec{A} \Psi = \vec{A}\nabla\Psi
$$
 
$$
\nabla\cdot( \vec{A} \Psi) =(\nabla\cdot \vec{A})\Psi + \vec{A}\cdot\nabla\Psi
$$
by the product rule for derivatives. If you like, you can move [itex]\Psi[/itex] to the left in the first term, since [itex]\Psi[/itex] and [itex]\vec A[/itex] commute.
 
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: 1 person